1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for storing, removing and transporting liquids and gases. More particularly, the invention comprises an onsite petrochemical storage and transport system, which can economically allow the production of hydrocarbon from an oil or gas well and expedite or make it feasible to put certain wells into production.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional natural gas production includes a well site facility and pipeline to a processing plant where free water and hydrocarbon liquids are removed and gas is conditioned to be suitable for transmission and domestic/industrial use. The well site facility may consist of separation, measurement flow and pressure control heating, injection of corrosion or hydrate inhibitor, may include fuel gas, power gas and electrical power, and may be remotely controlled from a plant control room. The pipeline connection from the well site to a plant inlet may be a conventional single pipeline with or without insulation and may require a fuel gas return pipeline if the production gas is unsuitable for fuel gas.
An oil well will normally have a pipeline connection to an oil supply where the gas component is removed from oil and sent to a gas plant for processing. In cases where the pipeline connection is not feasible, a single well site will be established where reservoir oil is directed to a tank at atmospheric pressure. Solution gas is released from the oil and directed to a flare stack, where the gas is combusted and the combustion products discharged into the atmosphere.
Devices for storing, removing and transporting liquids and gases are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,938,036, issued to Thomas C. Martin et al. on Dec. 5, 1933, U.S. Pat. No. 2,491,013, issued to Paul E. Noll et al. On Dec. 13, 1949, U.S. Pat. No. 3,425,810, issued to John W. Scott, Jr. on Feb. 4, 1969, U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,933, issued to Andrew Lee et al. on Aug. 20, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,350, issued to Naser Mahmud Chowdhury on Nov. 11, 1997, and U.S. Pat. No. D.298,273, issued to James R. Cobb on Oct. 25, 1988.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,938,036 to Martin et al., shows a device for the removal of a substantially uniform proportion of a mixture of fluids having widely different vapor pressures and liquid and gas phases from a container, in which the mixture is confined under pressure. The present invention is different from this device in that it contains a well site underground array of storage tanks sloped for two-phase removal of gas and liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,491,013 to Noll et al., shows a high pressure gas holder or storage container, and has particular reference to such a device that may be quickly erected at remote locations by ordinary assembly operations. The present invention is different from this holder in that it contains a well site underground array of storage tanks sloped for two-phase removal of gas and liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,425,810 to Scott, Jr., shows an apparatus in the nature of reactors, for contacting liquid hydrocarbon oils with hydrogen-rich gas and solid particles such as catalysts at elevated temperature and pressure, and methods for using such apparatus for carrying out the contracting. The present invention is different from this apparatus in that it contains a well site underground array of storage tanks sloped for two-phase removal of gas and liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,933 to Lee et al., shows a trailer for storing or transporting elongated cylindrical fluid containers and specifically to a trailer for tubes for containing compressed gas. The present invention is different from this trailer in that it utilizes a multiple container transport truck for carrying the gas and liquid discharged from the storage tanks to a processing plant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,350 to Chowdhury, teaches the use of elongated, high pressure tubes to store, transport and dispense chemicals, e.g. gases under pressure. The present invention is different from this apparatus in that it utilizes a multiple container transport truck for carrying the gas and liquid discharged from the storage tanks to a processing plant.
U.S. Pat. No. D.298,273 to Cobb, shows an ornamental design for a multiple tank unit for temporary oil well production storage. The present invention is different from this multiple tank unit in that it contains a well site underground array of storage tanks sloped for two-phase removal of gas and liquid.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.